Associations file brief in US Court of Appeals defending year-round E15

In Washington, responding to the oil industry’s effort to undermine the expansion of E15 (gasoline containing 15% ethanol), Growth Energy, the Renewable Fuels Association, and National Corn Growers Association on Friday filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit supporting and defending the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2019 regulation that finally allowed year-round availability of E15.

As intervenors in the oil industry’s lawsuit against EPA’s regulation allowing year-round E15, Growth Energy, RFA, and NCGA are vigorously protecting the agency’s final rule, which finally extended the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) volatility waiver for E10 blends to E15 as well. The intervenors’ brief provides strong support for EPA’s position that parity in RVP regulations for E10 and E15 is consistent with the provisions of the Clean Air Act and the congressional intent behind those provisions. The organizations further point out that extending the volatility waiver from E10 to E15 is appropriate because the volatility of the fuel actually decreases as more ethanol is added into gasoline beyond E10.